|  Research Summary  |   Publications  |
|  back to Division of Thoracic Surgery  |

Research Summary

1. Database Development and Clinical Outcome Measurements in Thoracic Surgery

Most general thoracic surgical procedures carry a higher expected mortality and morbidity than cardiac surgical procedures. Current national statistics show an expected operative mortality of 3% after lobectomy and 7% after pneumonectomy. It is my research goal to delineate clinical parameters that contribute to thoracic surgical operative morbidity and mortality. Once these variables have been identified, active intervention may be designed with the goal of decreasing operative morbidity and mortality toward zero. As director of clinical research in the Division of Thoracic Surgery, under the mentorship of Dr. Sugarbaker and Dr. Richards, it is my responsibility to oversee a computerized database prospectively accumulating data on all patients evaluated by the Division. Separate data collection points include the initial office visit, the operating room, the postoperative wards, and the individual outpatient visits. This database is currently receiving entries on 2,000 new patients each year. Audits and cross checks have been designed to verify the accuracy of the data.

2. Lung Cancer in the Elderly

The elderly patient is particularly susceptible to suffer morbidity after major thoracic surgical procedures. Previous work from Brigham & Women's Hospital has shown that this subgroup has a thirteen-fold higher incidence of postoperative dementia after non-cardiac thoracic surgery. The full recovery time from major thoracic surgical procedures is poorly understood in this subgroup. This is an extremely pertinent issue. Current data are unavailable to advise the eightyfive- year-old patient with a presumed early stage lung cancer as to which treatment option may be expected to maximize the future quality of life. New instruments of measurement are required to address these issues. I am currently developing clinical measurements of the elderly patient's functional status, motivation for surgery, understanding of surgery, and quality of life. I plan to test these measurements in our outpatient elderly population over the next year.

Back to the top

Publications

To access Dr. Michael Jaklitsch's publications, please click here.

Back to the top

Michael Jaklitsch
MD

Director of Clinical Research
Division of Thoracic Surgery

Clinical Profile & Contact Information

Research Interests

Lung Cancer in Elderly
Database Development
Clinical Outcomes Measurement